


Cat Person

by Suspicious_Popsicle



Category: Overwatch (Video Game)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-07-15
Updated: 2018-07-15
Packaged: 2019-06-10 13:44:36
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 9,767
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15292803
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Suspicious_Popsicle/pseuds/Suspicious_Popsicle
Summary: In which Jack Morrison is definitely, absolutely, one hundred percent NOT a cat person......unless you ask Gabriel Reyes.





	Cat Person

**Author's Note:**

  * For [firesonic152](https://archiveofourown.org/users/firesonic152/gifts).



> Bunny the cat is one of Leah's ([firesonic152](https://twitter.com/firesonic152)) additions to some of the story ideas we toss around for Gabe & Jack. She deserves to be in more of our finished works lol
> 
> Leah--thank you for your friendship, your stories, and your support. <3<3<3

Jack Morrison was not a cat person. He didn't _hate_ them, exactly, but he didn't like them, either. As far as he was concerned, cats belonged in barns to control rodent populations, or—as he'd come to accept, if not understand—in secondhand bookstores to judge the customers as they browsed. He didn't think cats were evil or heartless, but there was something off-putting about the way they stared, something in their eyes that always made him suspect that they knew more than they were letting on. They were all so... _alien_ -looking. And they cheated at physics. Jack was pretty sure that Douglas Adams had gotten it wrong—if the world _was_ one giant lab set up with humans as the test subjects, it wouldn't be mice running the show, but cats.

Taking all that into account, he wondered, not for the first time, how he had ended up sitting at his favorite bar, looking at photos of a little white cat with stubby legs, while the creature's owner sang her praises.

Jack took a sip of his drink and let his gaze slip from the phone screen held between them, down to the leg of the man sitting next to him. Dark blue jeans hugged his calves and strained around thickly muscled thighs that Jack _really_ wanted to become more intimately acquainted with. His eyes traveled up, past a _gorgeous_ ass unfortunately firmly ensconced on the bar stool, trim waist and flat stomach, nice chest hidden beneath a gray hoodie bearing a few stray cat hairs, broad shoulders, and....

“Jack?”

His eyes snapped up at the sound of his name, meeting those of the man who had been regaling him with tales of his cat for the past half hour. The man's name was Gabriel.

He was a goddamn _angel_.

* * *

 

They'd met at the gym. Jack had noticed Gabriel almost immediately. Who wouldn't have? He was huge, and all of it, from what Jack had seen, was muscle. There was a presence about him, too, something commanding, and the ball chain disappearing into his tank top suggested dog tags. He had a bad case of resting bitch face, but he smiled easily enough that Jack made him for a genuinely friendly guy. That assumption proved itself true when, seeing him hovering indecisively near a weight bench, Jack had wandered over and asked if he needed someone to spot for him.

Gabriel had lit right up, and Jack had been unprepared for the full force of that smile. He'd gotten used to being the charming one. It was unexpected to find himself tongue-tied. Unexpected...but not entirely unpleasant. He smiled back and took his place as spotter and let Gabriel lead the conversation. The topic quickly came around to his pet cat, and Jack let the words flow over him, half lost in appreciation of Gabriel's arms and chest, his warm eyes and sharp cheekbones, the beard that looked like it would scratch so deliciously against delicate skin, the sweat-slicked curls atop his head, even just the quality of his voice.

“You want to get a drink when we're done here?” Jack asked as he finished. He sealed the deal with his brightest smile and added: “You can tell me more about your cat.”

* * *

 

“Jack? You all right?”

He managed to drag his focus back to what Gabriel was saying, though he couldn't for the life of him remember anything about the cat.

What had he said her name was? Munchkin? Or had that been the breed? Something with a 'B,' wasn't it?

God, he just wanted to climb right onto Gabriel's lap. He caught himself starting to chew on his thumbnail, and forced his hand down, brushing non-existent dust from his t-shirt.

“She's a real cutie,” Jack said, nodding at the phone. He nearly choked on his beer when Gabriel beamed. The man was unfairly handsome.

“Yeah, Bunny's my little angel.”

Gabriel smiled fondly at the picture on the phone, one of the least flattering ones that made it look like the squat furball's eyes were looking off in opposite directions as she lay tangled up in a ribbon toy. He glanced up suddenly at Jack, smile fading as he made to put his phone away.

“Sorry. Was I boring you? I didn't mean—”

“No, no. Not at all.” Jack was willing to put up with a lot more than just some uninteresting conversation if it meant improving his chances with a guy like Gabriel. He smiled winningly, and raised his beer in a mock toast. “I love cats.”

* * *

 

Gabriel gave Jack his number before they parted, and drinks after their workout that night turned into a couple days of texting followed by a date. They met at the gym, worked up an appetite, showered off (separately, to Jack's dismay, although his imagination was loudly opinionated on exactly what he was missing), and walked to a nearby pub for dinner. Dinner turned into drinks turned into three hours gone in the blink of an eye as they talked and laughed and Jack admired Gabriel's laughter and his voice and the way his mouth moved, lips and tongue shaping words that Jack did his best to focus on past his desire to bring Gabriel home and find out what those lips felt like against his skin, what his voice would sound like breathless with need, what the contours of Gabriel's body would feel like beneath his hands. Yes, it was fun talking with Gabriel—although the stories about his cat were just a bit too numerous—but Jack wanted something other than simply a date run long.

They parted ways at the pub. Jack mourned the missed opportunity, but Gabriel smiled for him and said they should do it again soon, and Jack's heart made a funny sort of leap in his chest that forced out his “Yes!” just a beat too quickly, a shade too enthusiastically. Gabriel wasn't a sex-on-the-first-date kind of guy. Jack could respect that. There were plenty of other guys he could hook up with. It wasn't as if he was desperate.

Still....

As he walked home, there was no use trying to lie to himself about being eager to see Gabriel again. And it _had_ been a nice date, all in all, just not entirely what Jack had been hoping for. Next time, then, he told himself, and made do that night with the memory of Gabriel's warm voice and crooked smile, letting his imagination fill in a few blanks as he stroked himself to quell the unsatisfied need that had lain banked since their first meeting and had flared to life over the course of the evening.

They had their second date the very next night. Gabriel picked the restaurant this time—a Thai place Jack had never tried before, but immediately added to his list of favorite places to eat. It wasn't far from his apartment, and his hopes for the end of the evening soared higher as the comfortable vibe they'd found carried over. He couldn't seem to stop fidgeting—tugging his shirt straight, brushing dust off his clothes, smoothing down his jeans. When he asked as they were leaving if Gabriel wanted to come over to his place, he had to force a casualness that he didn't feel. Gabriel's quiet “Sure.” was a victory.

Utterly pleased with himself, he caught a glimpse of his reflection in the darkened glass of a storefront along the way home and paused. Seeing that his hair had begun to droop, he wet the tips of his fingers on his tongue and spiked it back up, preening a bit in his anticipation. After a moment, Gabriel stepped up right behind him and laid his hands heavily on Jack's shoulders.

“Why bother with that now?” he murmured in Jack's ear. “I'm only going to mess it up as soon as we get back to your apartment.”

A shiver ran straight down Jack's spine. He wasted no further time heading home.

It didn't really bother him when, hours later, Gabriel got out of bed and began getting dressed to leave. Jack was used to partners not always wanting to stay the night. So, well-fucked and pleasantly worn out, he bid Gabriel a sleepy good night and curled into the warmth left behind. He was drifting off even before Gabriel had left, but, on the edge of sleep, felt a hand ruffle his hair.

That evening was the first of several more like it. They texted throughout the day, met up at the gym or at restaurants that they took turns suggesting, talked over dinner and drinks and new photos of Gabriel's cat, and ended the night in Jack's apartment, making good use of his bed. Or sofa. Or, once, his shower. Gabriel always left before midnight, always petted Jack's hair as he left, and, as the days passed, Jack found himself wishing that he would stay a bit longer, that Gabriel would fall asleep with him and at least stay until morning.

He brought it up casually, once or twice, but Gabriel left early to be sure his cat was taken care of, and the only solution he offered was for Jack to come home with him instead. Convinced that Bunny would hate him on sight, and that actually encountering her would expose him for the liar that he was, Jack found excuse after excuse to avoid Gabriel's apartment. As much as Gabriel loved that cat, there was no doubt in Jack's mind that Bunny would always come first. It would put a damper on things if Gabriel found out that Jack didn't like cats, and Jack wasn't ready to let their relationship fizzle out. In the back of his mind, he knew it would end sooner or later like all the others...but something about Gabriel made him want to hold on, even if just for a little bit longer.

* * *

 

Jack almost thought he'd gotten his wish for Gabriel to stay over one night. They'd cuddled up and drifted off after getting cleaned up, but Gabriel had set an alarm on his phone. The sound of it yanked Jack out of his comfortable stupor, and he grumbled as Gabriel kissed his forehead and slipped out of bed. For a moment, Jack listened to him moving carefully around the room, then he sat up, spilling the sheets into his lap, and turned on the bedside lamp.

“You can go back to sleep,” Gabriel said, picking up his jeans. “I'll lock the door on the way out.”

“They make automatic food dispensers for cats, you know,” he said as he watched Gabriel dress.

“Yeah, but...it's not the same as being there with her. I don't like to leave her alone all night.”

Sighing, Jack lay back against the pillow. He left the sheets low over his hips where they'd fallen, and ran a hand idly over his chest. “What about me?”

Gabriel paused, socks in hand, looking unusually pleased with himself. “What _about_ you?”

“Maybe _I_ don't want to be left alone all night. Come play with me some more.”

He stretched, smirking to feel the sheets slide just a bit lower as he showed off his body and watched Gabriel watching him. He let his hand skim lower, past his stomach, until his fingers stirred the blond trail of hair below his bellybutton. The move didn't get the response he'd expected.

Gabriel chuckled. “You are _exactly_ like Bunny.”

“What?”

At Jack's deadpan response, Gabriel sat down on the edge of the bed and reached over to ruffle his hair...a gesture Jack leaned into until he realized how much it resembled petting a cat, and he batted Gabriel's hand away. That didn't dissuade him. If anything, Gabriel's eyes took on a warmth that left Jack reflexively leaning even closer, bottom lip caught in his teeth. Gabriel cupped his cheek and stroked a thumb over his skin. He let Jack catch up his hand and bring it to his lips to kiss his fingers, suck them gently past his teeth, and run his tongue against the tips. When Gabriel pulled free, Jack pouted briefly, then smiled as Gabriel caressed his throat and ran his fingers down his chest, leaving a trail of coolness and shivers in his wake.

“You and Bunny,” Gabriel murmured, his voice a pleasant, low rumble. “Both of you want the maximum reward for the minimum effort.”

“Hey! That's not—!” His protest stopped short as Gabriel's hand reached the edge of the sheet and slipped beneath to cup him.

“It's all right,” he said, grinning as he began to stroke. “I think it's cute.”

Part of Jack was insulted. He wasn't ' _cute_.' He was sexy, hot, desirable—any number of things that shouldn't be associated with small, furry animals. He wanted to sit up and protest, make Gabriel take it back...

...but he _was_ getting what he wanted. A bit more time, a bit more of Gabriel's attention and affection. He rocked his hips up into Gabriel's touch and moaned softly.

He could definitely bear being cute, if this was what it earned him.

* * *

 

“I'm telling you, Ana, he loves that cat more than me.”

'Jack...exactly how long have you been seeing this man?'

“Not the point,” he muttered, grateful that she couldn't see the embarrassment reddening his cheeks over the phone. He never should have called her up over this, but Gabriel had left immediately after that consolation hand job the previous night, and Jack was starting to panic over the thought that he was losing to a _cat_.

Saying 'love' had been...simply the most accurate way to describe Gabriel's attachment to his pet. It had no bearing on Jack's own feelings at all. As if he even could start to fall for someone in.... How long _had_ he been seeing Gabriel? A couple of weeks? It couldn't have been more than—

'Jack?'

“Sorry, Ana, what were you saying?”

She sighed. 'I was saying that you're being ridiculous. Don't go looking for problems where there aren't any.'

“This isn't a fake problem! People always put their pets first. And you _know_ I don't get along with cats.”

'I can tell you think this is important, which is why, instead of hanging up and considering this a waste of my time, I am going to suggest that you ask yourself if it is _truly_ likely that all cats everywhere have an intrinsic dislike for you and, if so, if you honestly believe, in your heart of hearts, that Gabriel will dump you for not being as enamored with his pet as he is.'

Jack thought for a moment. Then: “You don't understand.”

'I'm hanging up now, Jack. Good luck with your paranoia.'

“Ana, wait!” The line went dead, droning heartlessly until he hit the end call button. He tossed his phone onto the coffee table and paced the living room. “I'm not making this up,” he muttered to himself.

He was going to have to work something out, and soon. He was running out of excuses to avoid going over to Gabriel's place, certain that Bunny would take an instant dislike to him and ruin everything. Or just get cat hair all over his clothes. Maybe crap in his shoes. Cats were sneaky.

The point was: Bunny would sense his dislike. She would know he had lied to Gabriel. Jack didn't want an angry cat throwing a wrench into this relationship. Things were going so well! Better than they had in a while, he realized. It was more than just great sex—there was a connection with Gabriel, he was sure of it. He was also sure that if Gabriel found out that he was the cold, heartless sort who couldn't love the little cat Gabriel was so devoted to, then that would be the end. Jack didn't know what the future might have in store for the two of them, but for the first time in a long time, he wanted to find out. He would have to keep the cat issue under wraps until he'd racked up enough points in his favor to stop it from being a deal-breaker. He just needed a bit more time. After all, even counting that first night when all they'd done was get a drink and exchange numbers, they'd only been seeing each other for...

Jack did a quick count backward and halted in his pacing. Without noticing it, he'd started biting his thumbnail again, and he yanked his hand away from his mouth as he muttered to himself: “Shit. It's been almost a month.”

Time had flown. He realized that he might be in a bit deeper than he'd thought.

* * *

 

Jack's sofa was gray. The salesperson had called it “charcoal gray,” and said it was “neutral” and would “go with anything.” It matched some of his decor. The TV was black, so far, so good. The TV stand was chrome and glass. The glass had a faintly greenish tint. His coffee table was a battered, solid oak monstrosity that had moved with him from Indiana and been in the family for who knew how long before that. The bookshelves were black-laminated plywood. His dinette was more chrome and glass (the glass had a faintly grayish tint). The carpet was basic apartment beige, the walls were the sort of matte white that always managed to look dingy, and the vertical blinds in front of the sliding door out onto his tiny balcony were eggshell. The sofa failed to bring everything together as promised, but it was comfy and, as far as Jack cared, that was what mattered.

It was a mishmash, but it was saved from being a _dull_ mishmash by the plants. A vase of sunflowers sat to one side of the coffee table. They'd been a cash crop back home, but he'd found that keeping some in the apartment dulled the occasional sting of homesickness. The rest of the plants had accumulated for much the same reason. An enormous peace lily took up most of the corner between the TV stand and the balcony doors, and African violets peeked out from his bookshelves. A kalanchoe with bright yellow flowers sat on the kitchen table. When he pushed the blinds aside, the last rays of fading sunlight streamed in past the container garden that took up most of his balcony—planters of succulents, pots of begonias, hanging baskets overflowing with petunias, even a small grape tomato plant. He'd hung bird feeders up to either side. It gave him something to watch while he had his morning coffee.

Two days after he'd been abandoned in favor of a kitten who he was sure couldn't possibly be as lonely as her owner claimed, Jack had another date planned with Gabriel. Didn't everyone always say that cats were solitary creatures? They were supposed to be able to get along fine on their own. Bunny just had Gabriel wrapped around her stubby paw. She probably already hated Jack. He was competition.

He stalked through the apartment, making sure everything was cleaned up and set to rights. Originally, they had planned to go out for dinner, but Gabriel had texted him earlier to ask if he would mind changing things up. Now, Gabriel was on his way with fixings to make dinner. They were going to cook together and watch movies on the couch. Jack wasn't sure what had put the idea into Gabriel's head, but he was happy enough to go along with it. Although he'd had boyfriends that cooked for him once or twice, he hadn't ever cooked _with_ someone like that. He was looking forward to it.

The sunflowers on his coffee table were wilting. Wishing he'd had time to pick up some fresh ones, Jack threw them away and rinsed out the vase. The table looked bare without them, and the room seemed suddenly colorless. Turning to the patio doors, he flicked on the balcony light against the growing darkness. His little container garden looked odd at night beneath artificial lights, but at least it would liven up the room a bit.

Realizing he was fussing over nothing, that Gabriel had already seen his apartment under more cluttered circumstances, Jack tried to sit down and relax. He told himself that this wasn't a big deal. It was casual. The assurances felt like lies. Casual, yes, but _intimate_. They were going to be cooking _together_ , in his tiny kitchen. This wasn't just a couple guys grabbing a bite before heading back to an apartment to fuck, this was _domestic_. Nervous energy had him smoothing down his navy v-neck shirt, plucking at the slightest suggestion of dust, brushing imaginary wrinkles out of his khakis. More than almost anything at the moment, he wanted to be able to go for a jog or head to the gym for a few rounds against a punching bag. He shouldn't be so damn unsettled! This wasn't as big a deal as his nerves were making it out to be.

Part of him wanted it to be a big deal, though, which didn't help at all.

He was chewing his thumbnail when the sudden knock at his door broke into his whirling thoughts. It startled him badly enough that he jumped out of his seat, banging his shins against the coffee table. With a hiss he stumbled around it and hurried for the door.

“Coming!”

He pulled the door open and went still as stone, expression freezing in the middle of shifting from a pained grimace to a welcoming smile. The impulse to slam the door was strong enough that he had to tighten his fist around the knob until he could almost feel it creaking under the pressure. Gabriel stood just across the threshold, grinning and holding up a little ball of white fur that didn't look at all happy to be there.

“Say hi to Jack, Bunny!” Gabriel turned his grin onto the cat, giving Jack a much needed moment to shake off the unwelcome surprise.

“You brought Bunny.” The false enthusiasm he'd tried to buoy his voice with fell flat. Thankfully, Gabriel didn't seem to notice.

“Yeah. She's been dying to meet you. Here! Hold her for a sec while I bring all this in.”

Before Jack could protest, Bunny was thrust forward into his arms. He scrabbled, trying to get a good hold on the cat—dropping her would be like dropping Gabriel's flesh-and-blood child—without actually touching her any more than was necessary. He felt the warning prick of claws against his hands as Gabriel turned away.

“Uhh...Gabe?”

“I wanted it to be a surprise. We talk about her all the time, but you haven't been able to come over. Besides—” His smile as he turned around with a cat carrier in one hand and grocery bags in the other was far more suggestive than his grin had been. “—now I can stay the night with no distractions.”

One very big distraction squirmed in Jack's hold as he stepped aside to let Gabriel in. Bunny was soft as dandelion fluff, and not pleased with her situation. She meowed imperiously as Gabriel leaned in to give Jack a quick peck on the lips.

“Happy one month anniversary.” He slipped past Jack to set the groceries on the dining table and the cat carrier on the floor.

The reminder of a realization he'd only just come to the day before kick started Jack's brain. He smiled, hiding his discomfort as best he could while he fought to— _gently_ —keep hold of the increasingly wriggly Bunny.

“So that explains the change of plans,” Jack said. “I was just thinking about that the other day, but I hadn't really expected we'd do much for it.”

Gabriel looked back at him, smile fading. “Too much? I just thought—”

“No, no!” Jack moved in for another kiss, sweet and lingering, and managed to pass Bunny off in the middle of it. “Cooking together, relaxing on the couch with a movie, and I get to keep you all night? We can celebrate every week if it means more dates like this.”

The words had just spilled out. Had _that_ been too much? Was he being clingy? It had been so long since he'd wanted anything more than a good fuck out of a partner that he wasn't sure—

With his hands full of cat, Gabriel couldn't pull him into a hug, but he did catch Jack's lips in another kiss which only ended as Bunny began to protest. Laughing, Gabriel pulled away and soothed her with scratches behind her ears.

“Spoiled little imp,” he said affectionately.

Jack felt a sudden, acute spike of jealousy.

“Do me a favor, Jack, and move the lily and the kalanchoe out onto the balcony.” He caught Jack's look of bewilderment and added with an apologetic smile: “They're poisonous to cats. I had to look up the kalanchoe, but with lilies it's pretty common knowledge.”

Thinking that if Bunny wasn't smart enough to avoid eating poisonous plants, then she was obviously an evolutionary dead end, Jack nevertheless took his plants outside without a word of protest. He heard his door open and shut again, and turned to see that Gabriel had brought in one more thing. With Bunny now loose and sniffing around behind him, he came forward with a dwarf sunflower in a red ceramic pot painted with little black cats.

“Happy anniversary,” he said again, handing them to Jack along with another brief kiss.

Bunny meowed her disapproval, and Gabriel pulled away, laughing softly as Jack tried to marshal his warring delight and dismay.

“Do these need to go outside, too?”

“Nope.” Gabriel was practically beaming. “Your favorite flowers are cat friendly.”

“Great.” Smiling past the looming knowledge that he was a fraud, he set the flowers on the coffee table, and skirted around Bunny as she approached to sniff his feet.

“She won't bite.”

Jack looked up, startled to see Gabriel watching him with a crooked smile. “Oh. Yeah, I just.... She's so small, you know?”

He saw Gabriel's expression change, saw the smile widen, lips parting to reveal a glimpse of white teeth, saw it crinkle around the corners of his eyes, saw such clear affection focused on himself that it made his heart speed up. Jack felt himself heat up and knew he'd be blushing from the top of his chest all the way up to his ears. He clenched his fists at his sides and locked his knees, because if he moved, he was going to rush straight into Gabriel's arms and once that happened, they were not going to be getting around to cooking dinner anytime soon.

“Just be gentle with her, Jack. She'll love you.”

Jack wasn't convinced. He was certain that cats could tell when people didn't like them, and Bunny, with her stubby legs and suspicious stare and white fur that was going to get everywhere, was not exactly a welcome guest in his apartment. He moved out of the way to watch from a corner near the balcony door as Gabriel began pulling things out of bags to make Bunny at home. He had a small, plastic tray and litter, a pair of bowls, bagged food, canned food, three cat toys, and, stuffed into the cat carrier, a small, plush cat bed. Jack's pristine floor was soon scattered with Bunny's things. The cat meowed and rubbed against Gabriel, begging as he poured out a measure of dry food for her to eat, and playfully scolded her for her whining, reminding her that it wasn't yet dinnertime and that she'd get her wet food in just a little bit if she was patient and behaved. He talked to her as if she could understand.

It was only once he was done making Bunny at home that Gabriel began unpacking the things he'd brought to make dinner with. Jack eased out of his corner and slipped into the kitchen, watching Bunny warily the whole while, though she never once looked up from her food. On his way, he caught sight of his shoes next to the door. He had no good excuse to move them—'I don't trust your cat not to piss in my shoes' probably wouldn't go over well—so he crossed his fingers and hoped for the best. Maybe if he kept out of Bunny's way, she wouldn't take exception to him.

In the kitchen, Gabriel was arranging the ingredients he'd brought on the counter, and going through the cabinets, pulling out pans and utensils. Jack stepped up behind him, a bit closer than he strictly needed to even in the small space, and ran a hand across Gabriel's lower back as he came around to his other side to take a closer look. He noted the two bottles of wine with interest as Gabriel put a carton of strawberries and a covered steel mixing bowl into the fridge.

“What's on the menu?”

“Filet mignon with a balsamic glaze, steamed asparagus and grape tomatoes with Parmesan, and baby red potatoes. And I brought strawberries with homemade whipped cream for dessert.”

Jack blinked in surprise. “What, no bread to cover that last food group?” He was pleased to earn a soft laugh, and moved in closer, leaning against Gabriel and setting his chin on his shoulder to peek as he finished sorting things out. “That sounds complicated. Would it have been easier for me to come over?”

“It's simpler than you think.” Reaching up, Gabriel ruffled Jack's hair affectionately. “Wash up and help me chop potatoes.”

They got to it, Gabriel giving each of the baby reds a quick scrub, then handing them off to Jack to be chopped and tossed into a pot, then set to boil. “They'd be better roasted, really, but I was planing more for speed tonight,” he admitted. His smile turned smug, and there was a teasing note of challenge in his voice as he added: “Maybe next time, I'll have you over instead so I can take my time cooking something up.”

Jack's stomach flipped, and for a moment, he couldn't remember why he'd kept dodging Gabriel's invitations. Then, as if realizing that her presence had slipped Jack's mind, Bunny stalked into the kitchen, tail held high, and rubbed against Gabriel's leg, crying for his attention. Gabriel only laughed and assured her that he didn't have anything she would want to eat, winking at Jack as if keeping filet mignon from the cat was a joke they were sharing. He did, however, pull one of the dinette chairs near the edge of the counter and lift Bunny up onto the seat to give her a better view of what was going on. She cried and batted her paws for attention, even lifted up on her back feet, but aside from the occasional word of reassurance, Gabriel turned his attention back to cooking. Eventually, she gave up, quieted down, and resigned herself to simply watching.

Doing his best to ignore their audience, Jack clung to Gabriel like a burr, hands pressed against his back, chin resting on his shoulder, watching him work. Gabriel seemed not to mind as he rinsed off the asparagus and sliced away the dried bases of the stalks before putting them into a skillet, running some water over them, and setting them aside. The steaks got a coating of salt and pepper on both sides, then placed in their own small skillet. By then, the potatoes were just beginning to simmer, and Gabriel turned on the heat to steam the asparagus.

When Gabriel sidled away from the stove, Jack followed, hands slipping down to settle at his waist, fingers rubbing lightly just above the hem of his jeans. He grinned as Gabriel turned in his arms to kiss him, letting Jack press him against the counter. They shared slow kisses, a smack of lips, a breath in parting, the slightest tilt of their chins to bring their lips together again. Gabriel's palms were planted on the counter top. Jack's fingertips rested lightly on his waist, trembling with the need to explore, but reluctant to disturb the soothing give and take. He leaned into Gabriel, soaking up the heat of his body, delighting in how pleasantly they fit against one another. The moment dragged out, and might have gone on longer had it not been for a soft thud and a demanding meow and the feel of paws stepping on his feet as Bunny wormed her way in-between them.

Gabriel pulled back with a laugh, and looked down at his cat. “My sous chef says it's time to put the steaks on.”

“Why does the cat get to be the sous chef?” Jack grumbled. He slipped his hands beneath Gabriel's shirt to knead at his skin.

“Because _she_ is actually being _helpful_.” Gently but firmly, he took hold of Jack's wrists and pulled his hands away, then turned back to the stove.

Despite what he'd said, he didn't shrug Jack off when Jack once more settled his chin on Gabriel's shoulder to watch him cook. He switched on the burner for the steaks and seared each side, then reached for one of the wine bottles and a cruet nearly full with a dark liquid. Turning down the heat, Gabriel poured a measure of both into the skillet as Jack sniffed appreciatively as the aroma of cooking meat mixed with the bitter scents of wine and balsamic vinegar, and the lighter smell of the asparagus. Gabriel covered the meat and checked on the greens, then reached for the small carton of grape tomatoes.

“Want to halve the tomatoes for me?”

Jack considered for a moment, then nuzzled the crook of Gabriel's neck. “No.” God, he smelled so good. Even better than the dinner he was cooking.

Again, Gabriel reached up and ruffled his hair, scratching briefly just above his ear. “You're going to have to give me a bit of room, then, so I can do it.” He was grinning broadly, and answered Jack's quizzical look with a quick peck on the cheek.

Wondering what joke he was missing, Jack stepped aside, bracing his forearms along the counter at the far edge. As Gabriel rinsed the tomatoes and piled them on the cutting board, a few slipped free. One dropped to the floor and was immediately attacked by Bunny, who began batting it around the small kitchen. Jack caught another that rolled too close and began absently rolling it on the counter as he watched Gabriel slice the rest neatly in half.

“So, who taught you how to cook?”

“My grandmother taught me the basics, a few favorite family recipes. Mostly, I learn new ones on my own. There's this great resource for that—you might have heard of it. The internet?”

“Ass.” Jack ducked his head, trying and failing to repress a smile. “I know how to find recipes.”

“Oh, yeah? And follow them, too? 'Cause, I couldn't help noticing, Jack, that _you_ have never cooked in the month that I've known you. Everything is take out and leftovers. I had to check to be sure you'd have all the pans I needed last time I was here.”

“So _that's_ why you were snooping in here.” He shifted his weight, hips canting to one side, and studied Gabriel's smirk until realization hit. “You don't think I can cook!” He accused.

Gabriel glanced sidelong at him, eyes bright with amusement. “Going to prove me wrong?”

“Name the date and then prepare to be amazed.” Although Jack's only secret family recipe was for chili, he wasn't about to let that get in the way of a challenge. How hard could it be to pick a recipe and follow the instructions? He could handle this romantic wine-and-dine stuff.

“You done playing with that?” Pointing with his knife, Gabriel indicated the tomato Jack was batting back and forth between his hands. He rinsed it off again when Jack handed it over, then chopped it in half and piled it with the rest. Checking the steaks filled the kitchen with their mouthwatering aroma. Jack rested his hands on Gabriel's shoulder as he peeked. His stomach growled as Gabriel flipped the steaks and spooned the glaze over top of them before settling the lid back on the skillet.

“So?” Jack prompted as Gabriel checked on the asparagus and turned down the heat. “When do you want your delicious, homemade meal prepared by yours truly?”

Steam wafted up as Gabriel drained the water from the skillet into the sink. Without turning to face Jack, he asked quietly: “What about for our three month anniversary?”

A happy little thrill uncoiled in Jack's stomach and shot up his spine. Gabriel wanted to be with him for the next few months at _least_ ; was making long-term plans with him! Small long-term plans, yes, but plans nonetheless. He couldn't have stopped smiling if he'd wanted to, and catching a glimpse of Gabriel's cheeks flushed a shade darker than normal was just icing on the cake.

“It's a date!” He tried to sound cool, but his delight spilled over enough for Gabriel to glance over his shoulder and break into a grin. Jack felt like a teenager again, caught in the undertow of heady young love.

The thought knocked the breath out of him. He took a step back, shaking his head to clear it. They'd only been seeing each other for a month. Sure, they'd clicked, but... _love_? That was a heavy concept. He _liked_ Gabriel. A _lot_. Wanted to see more of him, get to know him better. Even listening to him talk about his cat had been starting to seem interesting lately, particularly given the way Gabriel lit right up, became more animated as he described Bunny's latest exploits. It made Jack wonder sometimes if Gabriel ever talked about _him_ , if, one day, he might brighten up while talking about Jack to someone.

It was a nice thought, the idea of being someone who made Gabriel that happy.

“I'll go set the table,” Jack murmured. He pulled plates out of the cabinet, as Gabriel added Parmesan and halved grape tomatoes to the pan of asparagus and set it back on the burner to finish cooking.

“This is almost ready, so you can just leave the plates there and I'll serve. Go ahead and pour the wine. The unopened one is for us.”

Wordlessly, trying not to catch Gabriel's eye lest his expression give away his thoughts, Jack fetched a pair of long unused wine glasses from the very top cabinet and brought them and the bottle to the table. The wine was faintly chilled, and he took a long drink of his before refilling his glass. He fiddled with his glass, listening to the sounds of Gabriel moving around in his kitchen plating food, putting the finishing touches on a romantic dinner he'd planned and cooked for their one month anniversary.

_This is crazy_ , Jack found himself thinking. _This is going too fast. Since when do hook ups last long enough for an anniversary?_

But Gabriel wasn't just a hook up. At least, not any more. And maybe Jack hadn't really wanted an anniversary, but, to be fair, he'd never considered that they might have one. The thought had never even crossed his mind. And now that it was happening....

“Coming through.” Gabriel stepped out of the kitchen with two plates loaded with mouth-watering filet mignon, bright and fragrant steamed vegetables, and mounds of red potatoes sprinkled with herbs and topped with melting butter. Jack looked from the dishes to Gabriel's face, saw pride and affection in his grin, and felt his anxiety easing.

“Looks amazing,” Jack said.

“Smells amazing. And it's going to _taste_ amazing! Sit.” He set their plates down and took the chair across from Jack. As soon as he was settled, he raised his wineglass. “Cheers.”

“Happy anniversary,” Jack said, more pleased to say it than he would have thought possible.

Now that it was happening, he was so glad that this was something he had a chance to make work.

The meal was, of course, interrupted several times by Bunny.

She sat herself on the floor at Gabriel's side, crying for scraps and reaching up to set her paws on his leg when he didn't acknowledge her soon enough. It seemed to Jack that, had Gabriel wanted to break her of that habit, it would be easy enough to ignore her. Instead, he indulged the spoiled feline. Gabriel scraped the glaze off a bit of his steak, then sliced that piece off and cut it into tiny chunks.

“You wanna try some of what we're having? I don't know if you'll like it.”

“ _I_ like it,” Jack said, watching Gabriel actually get up from his seat to go put the chopped up filet in Bunny's food bowl.

“She likes to try new things,” Gabriel said as he sat back down. “Picky, though. Steak and hamburgers are okay, but she doesn't like pot roast. And she'll eat tuna all day, but turn up her nose at salmon.”

“You spoil that cat,” Jack said, and immediately could have swallowed his tongue. The accusation had popped out before he could stop it. Thankfully, Gabriel only laughed.

“Yeah. I do.” He caught Jack's eye, and the knowing grin he wore froze Jack in place. “You jealous? Feeling like I don't spoil you enough?”

Jack took a sip of wine, and smiled over the rim of the glass. “You just cooked an amazing meal for me as part of a surprise one month anniversary celebration. I'm feeling a little bit spoiled.”

“Only a little bit?” He leaned back in his chair, studying Jack in a way that sent a shiver up his spine. “I'll have to try harder.”

“When our two month rolls around?”

Gabriel's grin was absolutely wicked, and rousing appetites that had nothing to do with food. “When I take you to bed tonight.”

Jack swallowed hard. “Is there a reason we're waiting?” He was proud that his voice sounded mostly normal.

Smiling, Gabriel speared a grape tomato on his fork and licked it off the end of the tines, eyes on Jack the whole while. “Anticipation,” he said once he'd swallowed it down.

Whatever clever, flirty thing Jack might have responded with was cut off as he caught a movement out of the corner of his eye and turned to see that Bunny had jumped up onto the coffee table and was stalking his new potted sunflower.

“Hey!” He was up out of his seat without thinking, only slowing when he reached the table and realized that Gabriel probably wouldn't appreciate him snatching the cat up from where she had chosen to be. “Shoo,” he said quietly, feeling ridiculous as he flapped his hands a good foot away from Bunny, anxious not to scare her with Gabriel watching. “Go on. Hop down. You aren't supposed to be up here.”

Oh, God. Now _he_ was talking to her as if she could understand. It was spreading.

There was a muffled laugh and a simulated shutter noise, and Jack turned to see Gabriel hiding a grin behind one hand as he held up his phone with the other.

“Smile for the camera, Jack.”

The expression was crooked and awkward, and Jack looked away just as he heard the click because the bright yellow petals in his peripheral vision had suddenly started to shake. Bunny had her paws on the rim of the pot, and he scooped her up before she could overturn it. Holding her out, suddenly unsure what to do, Jack looked to Gabriel for help and was met with another shutter snap.

“See? I told you she'd love you.”

Jack looked doubtfully at Bunny. She was kneading his sleeve, staring at him with an expression that he was pretty sure meant something closer to: 'Put me down or I will make you bleed' than whatever Gabriel believed was going on. Gingerly, Jack lowered Bunny to the floor, making sure all of her paws were firmly settled on the carpet before letting go. She swiped at his fingers, causing him to jerk away and take a step back.

“Just let her be. She's only curious. Once she's given the flowers a good sniff, she'll leave them alone.”

“So you say,” Jack murmured, returning to his chair.

The food was incredible, and Gabriel was the best company he could wish for, but the tiniest sound from the living room snatched Jack's attention away from dinner so often that Gabriel finally suggested that they finish their meal on the couch. Embarrassed to have been so obviously nervous about the cat exploring his apartment, Jack nevertheless agreed quickly. They gathered their plates and glasses and moved to sit on the sofa. As he pulled up a movie on Netflix, Jack decided that he preferred the new arrangement. He tucked himself against Gabriel's side and then tucked into the food, warm and content and still very much interested in Gabriel's teasing promises about where the evening was leading.

Bunny refused to admit defeat. She crawled up Gabriel's leg and nearly onto his plate. Eventually, he had to rest the dish on the arm of the sofa, and hold her on his lap while trying to feed the both of them. Jack cleared his plate long before Gabriel was done and barely restrained the urge to lick it clean. He watched as Gabriel struggled to cut cat-sized bites of filet to feed to Bunny, then leaned in and licked his lips.

“If you aren't going to finish your dinner, I'll be happy to share what's left.”

Side-eyeing him, Gabriel snorted as the corner of his lips quirked up. He cut a bite of filet and fed it to Jack, then offered Bunny a much smaller tidbit before taking another bite for himself. The rest of Gabriel's dinner was divided up similarly. He fed Jack bites of everything, and teased off tiny bits of steak for Bunny. If he hadn't looked so plainly self-satisfied, Jack might have backed off and left the begging to the cat, but something about the expression on Gabriel's face and the almost teasing affection every time he fed Jack another bite kept him butting his head against Gabriel's shoulder and tilting his chin up for more.

Once the last bites had been finished, Gabriel set his plate aside on the coffee table and relaxed back against the cushions. Jack, on the other hand, found himself facing an obstacle. His usual favorite place to rest his head when they watched movies together had been usurped. Bunny sat on Gabriel's lap, purring smugly as Gabriel stroked her fur. Unwilling to risk Gabriel's displeasure by chasing her off, Jack settled somewhat discontentedly at Gabriel's side.

He couldn't bring it up.

He _absolutely_ couldn't bring it up....

But...

Bunny was in _his_ spot!

It should have been his head resting on Gabriel's thigh, his hair that Gabriel's fingers were carding slowly through.

“Not enjoying the movie?” Gabriel murmured.

“What? No, it's all right.” He shifted guiltily, hoping Gabriel wouldn't be able to figure him out.

“It's not as good as I was hoping.”

“No?”

“No.” The hand he'd been petting Bunny with found its way to Jack's thigh and gave him a squeeze. “I don't really think it needs our full attention.”

“Definitely not,” Jack muttered, leaning in to meet Gabriel's lips. They shifted as the kiss deepened, pulling each other closer and quickly forgetting about everything else until an angry meow yanked their attention back to the present and the disapproving ball of fluff stubbornly clinging to her perch on Gabriel's lap.

“Telling us to get a room, sweetie?” Gabriel asked with a laugh. Gently, he shooed Bunny onto the floor, then stood and pulled Jack up after him. His smile crinkled up the corners of his eyes, etching laugh lines into his already handsome face, and making his eyes twinkle. “Come on. Let's find someplace more private.”

Jack was more than happy with that idea.

* * *

 

Bunny cried and scratched at the bedroom door nearly the entire time. Vocal to begin with, Jack made it a point to be loud enough to drown her out. He shouted himself hoarse as Gabriel made good on his earlier promise to try harder to spoil him. They wore each other out, finally collapsing in a tangle of limbs and sweat-soaked sheets to catch their breath. 'Marry me,' Jack wanted to say, and, in that moment, it wouldn't have been entirely a joke. He laughed breathlessly and let the impulse born of euphoria fade away.

“What did I ever do to deserve you?” he muttered, and winced to hear the rusty grating of his voice.

Gabriel nuzzled closer and kissed his neck lazily. He had an arm slung over Jack's body, fingers barely stirring against the skin of his hip. “You listened,” he said.

“Hmm?”

“When we got drinks together that first night, and you tried to pretend that you like cats.”

“I _do_ like cats,” Jack insisted. He tried to sit up as a dawning panic chased away the warm stupor of the afterglow, but Gabriel slid an arm up his chest and held him down. “What makes you think I don't like cats?”

“It's okay, Jack.” His quiet laugh rumbled between them. “I've known from the start. You're not as good a liar as you think you are.”

Not liking this revelation one little bit, Jack huffed and tried to sink even further into the mattress. “If it was so obvious I lied, then why go out with me?”

“Well...I know I can be a little...overeager...about Bunny. Most guys I talk to, they make it obvious that they don't care, don't want to listen, would rather talk about _anything_ else. At least you did me the courtesy of encouraging me to go on about her. I figured you deserved a chance after that. And what do you know?” He raised himself up on an elbow so that he could lean down and kiss Jack's lips. “You didn't fuck it up.”

“I lied to you, though. I don't.... Bunny doesn't....”

“A little white lie, told so I wouldn't feel bad going on about something I love. Don't worry about Bunny. She likes you just fine. I was hoping that, once you'd met her, you'd stop avoiding my place.”

“So...you really don't mind that I'm not a cat person?” Even looking up into the warm, reassuring brown of Gabriel's eyes, Jack still couldn't bring himself to say that he wasn't comfortable around Bunny. Gabriel seemed to understand anyway.

“I'm betting that she'll grow on you. If you still feel bad about it, then how about this? You be honest with me about your thoughts on cats, and I'll try to dial back the crazy cat owner stuff. Deal?”

Jack's gaze slid away from his. “I like listening to you talk about her,” he mumbled. “You light up.”

Even lying there in Gabriel's arms, in a room grown stuffy and humid, Jack still felt his cheeks heat up at the admission. He could only keep his gaze averted for so long before his eyes were drawn back up to Gabriel's, and the grin he saw focused on him left his mouth dry. Jack reached out to drag him down even as Gabriel slid fully atop him and caught his lips in a kiss. They moved against each other, ardor sparking anew. Outside the door, Bunny's plaintive meowing picked up again and went ignored.

* * *

 

Jack woke before Gabriel and lay still in his arms for a few minutes, savoring the comfort of waking up next to someone. He was careful as he slipped out of bed, not wanting to wake him. Bunny was curled up on Gabriel's pillow. They had let her in before going to sleep last night. She stretched as Jack got up and pulled on a pair of boxers, watching him with imperious eyes.

“Meow,” she demanded.

Jack raised a finger to his lips and motioned for her to follow him. She considered for a moment, then, to his surprise, hopped down and led the way out of the room, tail held high. Obviously she was smart enough to know that, fond of her or not, Jack was willing to buy her silence with food. Shaking his head, he followed after her. Cats were something else.

He fed Bunny and made coffee. Outside, the sun was warming his small container garden. He stood before the patio doors, sipping his coffee and watching birds come and go at the feeders. Bunny stood on her back paws, batting at the door as the birds caught her interest as well.

The soft noise of Gabriel's phone as he took a picture was the first warning Jack had that he'd woken up. Turning around, he saw Gabriel wearing nothing but a hoodie, grinning as he looked at the photo he'd taken. When he looked up to meet Jack's eyes, his grin only got wider.

“I think I have an idea about why you don't like cats, Jackie.”

“I'm still annoyed that you didn't say anything sooner.”

“Says the guy who spent a month lying to me about trivial shit. But seriously. Do you realize that you're practically a cat, yourself?”

“Excuse me?” He bristled, turning fully away from the view out the glass doors. “What, because I watch the birds in the morning?”

“Not just that.” Gabriel crossed the room, holding out his phone. “Here. Look.”

He scrolled through photos of Jack. There weren't as many as there were of Bunny, but there were still far more than Jack would have expected—photos from above of him resting his head on Gabriel's lap, one hand curled into his sweats as if he'd been kneading the fabric, photos of him with his tongue peeking between his lips as he fixed his hair, photos of him chewing on his thumbnail like a cat grooming its paw. There was a series of photos showing him going from sitting in a patch of late afternoon sunlight on the living room floor with a box of take out, to stretched out on his back in the sun, to rolling onto his stomach as he followed the light as it moved across the floor.

“Have you noticed that you'll bat pens and things back and forth when you've got one in front of you?”

“Bad habit.”

“And that if I cup your cheek, you nuzzle into my hand every time?”

“That's normal.”

“You're constantly grooming yourself.”

“I don't want to look like a slob!”

“And there's the fact that the comb you use looks suspiciously like a flea comb.”

“Okay, _look_. They have steel bristles and my hair's thick enough that I need something that won't break.”

Gabriel was only barely holding back laughter. “You knock glasses off the table all the time.”

“Not on purpose! I have bad depth perception!”

“What about this, then?”

He pulled up a video on his phone, and when Jack leaned in to watch, he saw himself stalking something around his living room as Gabriel laughed quietly, mumbling 'Get it, Jack,' under his breath. In the video, Jack batted at the air once, twice, then lunged forward and clapped his hands together. 'Got it!' he shouted, looking triumphantly up at Gabriel.

“I killed the fly, didn't I?”

“You are a mighty and impressive hunter. Just like Bunny.” He gestured, and Jack turned to see the cat batting at a moth on the other side of the glass doors.

“I don't have to listen to this.” He stalked off toward the short hall leading to his bedroom as Gabriel's laughter finally won out and burst free.

“Oh, come on, Jack. You're only proving my point. I can practically see your tail lashing.”

Gabriel caught up, wrapping one arm around Jack's waist and reaching up to ruffle his hair with his other hand. He kissed the back of Jack's neck and trailed his attentions to his ear, nipping at the lobe. Noticing that her human was paying too much attention to someone else, Bunny lost interest in the outside world and trotted over to weave through their ankles, butting her head against their legs and meowing.

“Bunny. Tell Jack I was only kidding.”

“Maaaow!”

“Thank you.”

“Sorry, I don't speak _cat_.”

“Jaaack.” Gabriel wrapped both arms around his chest and butted his head against the back of Jack's neck. “Come on,” he said, a smile still audible as he spoke. “What's it going to take for you to forgive this awful mistake I made?”

“Hmmm.... I suppose you could start by cooking breakfast.”

Gabriel snorted and let go of him. When Jack turned around, he was kneeling to scoop up Bunny. Both of them fixed him with knowing stares as Gabriel cuddled the cat and murmured: “Hear that, Bunny? Jack, who is definitely not like you in any way, says I can appease him with food.” His grin stretched suddenly wider. “You know, there's still that whipped cream in the fridge. What do you think? Does Jack deserve some cream as a special treat?”

Giving them the most disdainful stare he could manage, Jack gathered his dignity and stepped past them, heading for the kitchen. “I've got to water my plants.”

He ignored the muffled laughter as he filled up a plastic watering can in the sink and went out onto the patio. Gabriel let him have his space, and soon Jack heard faint noises from the kitchen and assumed that he was starting in on breakfast after all. Just as Jack was coming to terms with the idea that Gabriel might not be completely wrong about certain aspects of his behavior, his thoughts were interrupted by a quiet meow. Bunny had followed him outside.

Glancing back to be sure Gabriel hadn't noticed, Jack knelt down and carefully slid the door shut. It wasn't soundproof, but it would be better than nothing.

“Hey,” he said softly. “Bunny.” He watched her sniff at his plants, completely uninterested in him. Feeling a bit like an idiot, he continued anyway. “You really love Gabe, right? Well...he's pretty important to me, too. So, I just wanted to say, for his sake, that I hope we can get along.”

He reached out very hesitantly and, with another quick check to be sure that Gabriel wasn't secretly taking more pictures, patted her gently on the head.

 


End file.
